Fractured Worlds (Worlds Away #1)

Brela Chapter 52: Silence

Two weeks, that was how long the eternals had been silent for. There were no attacks on our allies, no large fractures, no scouting teams found, no activity. Period. It was as if they had all vanished from every world. We only wished that was true. It was no secret that the enemy was planning something, something big. They were maintaining a low profile until then. When the eternals did resurface, it was going to be a disaster. Until then, MEPA was preparing.

The number of current fractures had dropped without the eternals intentionally making them. Finally, MEPA had made some progress in cleaning up the mess. It was a never-ending task, we knew that, but dropping the number was always an accomplishment, regardless of the conditions of the fracture or its level.

Rayja had become closer to Justin and me, but she was also talking to Celia and Verra now. I was pleased with the progress she was making. Soon, I was hoping that I could get back onto the field. I enjoyed seeing the wonders of the worlds and helping others. I only wished I had discovered that last fact before I had joined MEPA.

Rayja and I sat in the simulation room, seated on a hill overlooking a vast temperate forest. The trees were bright with their emerald leaves and needles, coating the land below so no ground was visible through their branches. The temperature was comfortable, the breeze welcoming. I understood why Rayja liked seeing these different simulations; it was relaxing.

I looked over to the young girl. She did nothing but watch, breathing in the fresh air and playing with the ends of her hair unknowingly. Rayja was looking much better than when I had first met her. Even in the short time spent here, she had gained some weight. Her eyes were brighter, and she smiled more often. The only troubling part was her nightmares.

They started the night after she had fainted. Rayja had woken up screaming, scaring the guards and me half to death. It had taken some time to calm her down, and afterwards neither of us had been able to fall asleep again. My own past came back to me with that scream, the scream of pure terror, the kind that was only expressed when you witnessed what we had.

Rayja's nightmares left her in a state of terror for the rest of the night, and sometimes into the morning. There hadn't been a single night that I hadn't had to shake her awake and comfort her. I knew that until the nightmares left her, she would be unable to sleep alone. They terrified her so badly that she couldn't go back to sleep. I had made the mistake of getting her to go back to sleep once; she had fallen right back into the nightmare I had woken her from. It was worrying, and there wasn't much anyone could do for her but wake her up.

MEPA's resident psychologist said the nightmares were a result of trauma and her PTSD. He couldn't get Rayja to talk about her past much, but he assured Justin and I that she would open up eventually, and we had to be there for when she did, and we both would be.

"Brela?"

"Yeah?" I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at Rayja.

"I want to see a real forest one day," she said.

"You've never seen one?" I asked. The girl only shook her head. That explained why she liked seeing these simulations. Not only did they help her get away from her fear, but they also let her experience places of the worlds she had never seen. "Of course, I'll show you one. You'll love it."

Rayja beamed.

"We just have to wait for Magda to give you the all clear. She's worried for you." My comment didn't dampen the girl's mood. "She's thinking that you're ready to move into your own room soon though."

The smile on Rayja's face fell away. "Will you still be there?" I knew she was worried about the nightmares.

I gave her a smile of my own. I wrapped my arm around the girl and pulled her in close. "I promise you; I'm not going anywhere," I said.